Pay out attachment for wire



Jan. 10, 1939. H, TI 2,143,295

PAY OUT ATTACHMENT FOR WIRE STRETCHERS Filed July 21, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 r z g INVEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Jan. 10, 1939. H. BASTIAN 2,143,295

PAY OUT ATTACHMENT FOR WIRE STRETCHERS Filed July 21, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i 1 4 S\ J:

I N V EN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 10, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PAY OUT ATTACHMENT FOR WIRE STRETCHERS 4 Claims.

This invention aims to provide a novel means whereby a stretched fence wire can be eased off, step by step, by a person standing at a post in a gully, and be pulled down, so that it can be stapled to a post in the gully.

Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating the use of the device hereinafter described;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device forming the subject matter of this application;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation;

Fig. 4 is a top plan;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line S6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a plan of the device which is used to put additional pressure on the holding pawl, as the diameter of the roll of cable increases.

Referring to Fig. 1, the numerals I and 2 mark two ridges in a rolling country, there being a gully 3 between the ridges. A fence post on the ridge I is marked by the numeral 4, and a fence post on the ridge 2 by the numeral 5. At 6 there appears one of several or many fence posts in the gully 3. The numeral 1 denotes a wire made fast to the post 5 and ultimately to be stapled to the posts in the gully, like the wires 8.

In order to do a good job, the wire I has to be made fairly taut in the first place. This is done ordinarily by means of a wire stretcher 9 attached directly to the post 4 and to the wire I, without the use of the device II) which forms the subject matter of this application. The wire I has to be pulled down, so that it can be stapled to the post 6. If the wire I is a new wire, or a heavy one, probably it cannot be pulled down to a place where it can be stapled to the post 6, parallel to the wires 8. If the wire I is an old wire, it is likely to break when pulled down.

The problem is to ease off the wire 'I enough so that it can be pulled down, step by step, and stapled to the post 6, the wire being kept taut at the same time. The fence builder does not want to walk over to the post 4 and ease off on the wire stretcher 9 every time he staples the wire to one of the gully posts 6, and this invention aims toprovide means whereby the fence builder can get a step by step release of the wire 1, without leaving the post 6.

The device forming the subject matter of this application is made of metal throughout, saving as otherwise specified.

The invention herein submitted for patent protection includes a U-shaped frame II, to one end of which is attached a hooked anchor I2. A shaft I4 is journaled in the frame I I, near the opposite end of the frame, and is turned by a crank I5.

A reversibly-rotatable Wheel I6, preferably of approximately rectangular contour, is secured to the shaft I4 within the frame II. The reversely-rotatable wheel I6 forms one end of a cable drum on the shaft I4. The opposite end of the cable drum is represented by a disk I'l secured to the shaft I4. One end of a flexible element I8, such as a cable, is secured to the shaft I4, and is adapted to be wound up on the shaft l4, between the wheel I6 and the disk I! and to be payed oil the shaft. At its free end, the cable It carries a means I9 for gripping the wire I.

A support, conveniently a bolt 20, is mounted in the frame near the end of the frame that carries the anchor I2. A pawl 2| is mounted at 15 one end to swing on the support 2|). For the sake of strength, and to cause the pawl to keep its place on the reversely-rotatable wheel I6, the pawl 2| may be of inverted trough-shape, in cross section, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6. The upper part of the wheel I6 is received between the side walls of the pawl 2|, and the upper wall of the pawl rests on the wheel I6, as Fig. 5 shows.

A slide rod 22 is mounted to move in the direction of its length, in the upper wall of the pawl 2|, and is located between the wheel I6 and the pawl support 2|]. The lower end of the slide rod 22 is received detachably in a seat formed by projections 23 on the lower edge of one side arm of the frame II. A wing nut 24 is threaded on the lower end of the slide rod 22 and engages beneath the projections 23. A cam lever 25 is pivoted at 26 to the upper end of the slide rod 22. The cam lever 25 engages an abutment washer 21 slidable on the rod 22. The upper part of the slide rod 22 is surrounded by a compression spring 28. The upper end of the compression spring 28 abuts against the washer 21. The lower end of the compression spring 28 engages the upper wall of the pawl 2|. The compression spring 28 is one of two resilient means provided for keeping the pawl 2| engaged with the wheel H5, as shown in Fig. 5.

The spring 28 is not the only means for forcing the pawl 2| against the reversely-rotatable wheel I6. Another means to that end is a combined rope guide and pressure member, shown in Fig. '7. The rope guide and pressure member embodies a coiled spring 29, engaged loosely around the pawl support 20. At one end of the spring 29 there is an arm 3|) that has a downwardly extended finger 3|. adapted to be engaged detachably in a hole 32 formed in the upper wall of the pawl 2|, near the free end of the pawl. The end of the spring 29 remote from the arm 30 carries an arm 33. The arm 30 extends upwardly, and the arm 33 extends downwardly, as shown in Fig. 5. The arm 33 bears against the part of the cable I8 wound on the shaft I4. The arms 33 and 30 have some resiliency. At the free end of the arm 33 there is a transversely extended, loop-shaped guide 34, of elongated form, through which the cable I8 passes, as it is payed off or wound upon the shaft I4.

The operator turns down the cam lever 25 to the position shown in Fig. 5, in which the cam lever puts pressure on the spring 23. The rod 22 is drawn down by turning the wing nut 24, to put the spring 23 under more pressure. These two operations cause the spring 28 to keep the pawl 2| engaged with the wheel I6. The hooked anchor I2 is attached to the wire stretcher 9, and the wire I is engaged by the means shown at I9 in Fig. 4. The wire stretcher 9 is operated to draw the wire I taut, as in Fig. 1.

The operator pulls down the wire I at the post 6, for instance, and as the wire is pulled down, the shaft I4 is rotated, and the wheel IB makes one click with respect to the pawl 2|, the wire I being eased off enough so that it can be pulled down, as aforesaid, and stapled to the post 6. This procedure is carried out with regard to the other fence posts in the gully 3.

As the cable I3 accumulates on the shaft I4, the diameter of the cable coil increases. This gives the cable coil a stronger leverage, tending to rotate the shaft I4 and slack away the cable. The increased leverage is offset, because, as the coil of cable on the shaft I4 increases in diameter, the coil puts more pressure on the arm 33 of the rope guide and pressure member, and causes the arm 30 of the said member to exert increased pressure on the pawl 2|.

When it is desired to pay out the cable I8, the cam lever 25 is turned up, to take the pressure off the spring 28, and if necessary the wing nut 24 can be backed off a little. The lower end of the rod 22 then is slid free of the projections 23 on the side wall of the frame II. The finger 3! of the arm 30 is detached from the pawl 2 I. The pawl 2|, now, is loose with respect to the wheel I6, and, by means of the crank I5, the shaft I4 may be rotated readily, to reel in the cable I8, the means I9 of Fig. 4, of course, having been detached from the wire I.

By a simple reversal of the operation last described, the parts can be restored to the working position in the drawings.

The wheel I6 may be described as having peripheral edges cooperating to approximate the outline of a polygon, preferably a square, the pawl 2| extends along one of the peripheral edges of the wheel, and the pawl is yieldably constrained to bear upon the edges of the wheel, one after another.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device for easing oil" a stretched fence wire step by step, so that it may be pulled down and fastened to a post in a gully, a frame, means for connecting the frame to a wire stretcher, a rotatable member journaled on the frame, a wheel mounted to turn with the rotatable member and having peripheral edges cooperating to approximate the outline of a polygon, a pawl movably mounted on the frame and extended along one of the peripheral edges of the wheel, yieldably-operated means constraining the pawl to bear upon the opposite ends of the edges of the wheel, one after another, a flexible element connected to the rotatable member, to be wound in a coil thereon, and means for connecting the flexible element to the wire which is to be eased off.

2. In a device for easing off a stretched fence wire step by step, so that it may be pulled down and fastened to a post in a gully, a frame, means for connecting the frame to a Wire stretcher, a rotatable member journaled on the frame, a wheel mounted to turn with the rotatable member, a pawl movably mounted on the frame and having step by step releasable engagement with the wheel, yieldably-operated means constraining the pawl to cooperate with the wheel, a flexible element connected to the rotatable member, to be wound in a coil thereon, means for connecting the flexible element to the Wire which is to be eased off, the yieldably-operated means being a member disposed transversely of the pawl, a spring-compressor and release movably mounted on one end of the last-specified member, a compression spring interposed between the springcompressor and release and the pawl, and means i for connecting the opposite end of the last-specified member detachably to the frame.

3. In a device for easing off a stretched fence wire step by step, so that it may be pulled down and fastened to a post in a gully, a frame, means for connecting the frame to a wire stretcher, a rotatable member journaled on the frame, a wheel mounted to turn with the rotatable member, a pawl movably mounted on the frame and having step by smp releasable engagement with the wheel, yieldably-operated means constraining the pawl to cooperate with the wheel, a flexible element connected to the rotatable member, to be wound in a coil thereon, means for connecting the flexible element to the wire which is to be eased off, the yleldably-operated means being a slide, disposed transversely of the pawl, a movable spring-compressor and release on one end of the slide, a compression spring interposed between the spring-compressor and release and the pawl,

and means for connecting the opposite end of the slide releasably to the frame, the last-specified means including a device coacting with the frame and with the slide to move the slide longitudinally and thereby vary the compressive effort of the spring upon the pawl.

4. In a device for easing off a stretched fence wire step by step, so that it may be pulled down and fastened toa post in a gully, a frame, means for connecting the frame to a wire stretcher, a

rotatable member journaled on the frame, a H

wheel mounted to turn with the rotatable member, a pawl movably mounted on the frame and having step by step releasable engagement with the wheel, yieldably-operated means constraining the pawl to cooperate with the wheel, a flexible element connected to the rotatable member, to be wound in a coil thereon, means for connecting the flexible element to the wire which is to be eased off, the yieldably-operated means being a resilient member having diverging arms, one of said arms bearing on the coil of flexible element, the other of said arms engaging the pawl to aid in constraining the pawl to cooperate with the wheel.

HENRY BASTIAN. 

